The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-22
nME.KBEPIAG In CITIES
DEVEL0PMENr OF ACCURACY
AND CHEAPNE.S.
The Great Convesiences That Nay
De Had-rhe Watches Becom.
ing Unnecessary.
IarEuAL TO Tn ArrrALL

IarKoIAL TO rHa ArrEAL.I
New YoRr, July 2l.-The clock In
the Western Union building, at the
corner Of Broadway and Dsy street, is
connected by wire with the Naval o.
servatory at Washington. A time ball
drops each day at noon and thus fur
nishes New York with correct stand.
ard time. The Standard" system
was adopted here almost as soon as Il
was introduced by the railroads, and
has given almost universal sstlsfac.
ton. Oh late years the tendency to-
ward an increased use Of clocks and
conveniences for keeping accurate
time in the Offices and private houses
OF the metropolis, has been very
marked. In the matter OF public
clocks on streets and buildings and In
depots and hotels. there has been no
very radical apparent increase In the
number for the past ten years. In re-
gard to furnishing correct time, i'm.
portant advances have been made by
the Electric and Time Telegraph Com.
panies. One concern started In about
i've years ago on the theory that II
would pay TO sell time. Today up.
ward Of 1900 regular customers attest
the soundness Of the idea. The time
pieces are not sold, but rented, rentals
varying all the way from 50 10 $2S per
year; he minimum price pays
Tor small pain clock the
ease OF wiich Ia devoid OF any attempt
at characterization, the intermediate
and maximum prices call for larger
and much more ornate tine pieces.
From the time point, however, the
low priced clock Ia a. good as the
high priced one. All are on a circuit
which is ieAed twice day, morning
and evening. The regulator at the
central Office is connected by wire
with the clock In the Western Union
building. Three men are ample to
look Alter and keep In perfect repair
1900. 01e com nany practically has q
monopoly OF this sort OF business.
Fourfitbs OF the cub cribers are
bankers, brokers ard lawyers. Time |
10 Q highly important element with |
them aud they keep close track OF II.
As q general thing building and street |
clocks are unreliable. The "od IN. |
reliable" upright sfiair In front OF the |
Filth Avenue Hotel has, on all fair |
estimates, been the cause OF more
hearty cursing than any clock OF Its |
inches on the continent.
IN BOSTON.
Correct time 10 furnished In Boston
from the Harvard observatory at Cam
bridge. The primary clock there Is
connected In the first instance with
enc on State street, Boston, and beats
are sent out from this for the cor
rection OF wstchmakers and public
time pieces In Nil parts OF the city. The
standard time adopted by the
railroads went into universal employ
ment ct once not only In Boston, but
throughout New England. The effect
Of the change has been small, mas |
much a. the Boston railways all used
that citys time before ths change.
Travellers between New York aud
Boston, however, observe "a improve.
ment Tor the re,eon that New York
lime was formerly employed at this
end OF the line and Boston at the
other. There are not far from fifty
public clocks In this cit. The cost OF
I'd tower clocks has diminished
y me 20 per cent. within ten years.
Four hlths Of those visible In Boston
are the IN manufacture Of q Q IA gle Boa-
lon firm. In the business parts Of the
city the streets are very we'll supplied
With time pieces visible 10 passers by
day a. d 10 certain extent AGO by
night. -Four Of the railroad stations
have illuminaei clocks and there are
some Others. The puo.ic clocks are
generally accurate, but two or three OF
The more conspicuous In the business
tlstrict are usually "ofi" No increase
81 any conaeq nence In the number Of
lower clocks has occurred Of late, but
The business OF the manufacturers ia
increasing owing 10 the
growth OF the country and rivalry he.
tween different villagCs II Ia often
Iound that when one village In a given
lown pu's no public clock lie neigh.
Dor promptly follows tuit.
IsBALrMoRE.
There 10 nothing Ia Baltimore SINH.
az 10 the Electric Time Company in
Seu York. The principal clock In the
lily, surmounting the dome Il our
'ity ball, 10 regulated daily q, 4 o'clock
I'm. IRON the railroad observatory Mt
hltoona, Pa. There IL a time ball on
iop OF the Baltimore and olio railroad
building. Ma, y jewellers receive the
accurate time daily from Washington.
The city hall Tins and the Washing.
lon time, a. ibdica'ed by the time bal,
generally agree sufficiently for all prao.
tioal purposes, and there is seldom
more than q lew seconds difference.
host persons regulate their clocks aud
vathts by the city hall clock. The
standard" time as laid out by geo
sections some years ago IA
almosl universally observed. Here
and there may be found both the
standard time aud the sun time, but
no instance can be recalled where the
sun time "a obesrwd. There IL, how.
ever, but lite difference In thia state
between the two Except In tho az.
clusively reidence localitleA time
pieces are Visible throughout the CITY.
and one need not r. isr before a public
time piece Of a'mu kind cen be fiund.
We have clocks In the eteeples of A
number OF churches In every section
OF the cityi four laced Illuminated |
elcck on the city hall. which Il In The |
heart OF the city; on several public |
buildings, such as engine houses. sta. |
ton house, Maryland Institute, the
cathedral, and persons carving
watches need not consult them ali |
day as they. can lad these public